That Day in Summer
by miss pompadour
Summary: Lily struggles to focus in her final NEWT exam so she reflects back on a particular day she had spent with James during the previous summer. Incredibly short one shot for a friend.


This incredibly short story is for you, Jasmine. So now you don't have to wake up tomorrow morning and only read about chemistry things. I hope you like it and that it is something else to think about when freaking out in exams.

* * *

><p>The long grass reached the lace hem of her short summer dress and tickled her thighs. Her dark red hair was scrunched up into a messy French bun so it wouldn't irritate that back of her neck in the summer heat. The yellow sunburnt grass bowed down to the warm breeze that swept through. She squinted up to the clear blue sky. This was freedom, this was carefree, this was no worries. The sun burnt her bare shoulders, probably making her light freckles more pronounced. She couldn't help but feel as light as air and smile along with the feeling. The only noise was the birds in the far off trees until she heard loud footsteps. They were running towards her hitting the ground with force. Suddenly his arms wrapped around her from behind and dragged her along in his rough halt. She bent over laughing and he kept his arms tight around her waist. She had learnt to love his touch and the way he held her. On top of that, his now familiar scent which was detectable in these embraces made her heart soar. If only she had known that this was what her body was craving after all this time and that only he could make her feel like this.<p>

"Let go, James" she said while still crouched over with him over top of her.

"Never," he whispered into her ear.

"I'll hex you," she threatened. She didn't even have her wand.

"What's new? I've suffered them all." A pang of guilt ran through her but he kissed the top of her shoulder showing that there were no ill feelings. He let go of her and she straightened up, wrapping her arms around his neck. With her eyes still squinting with the intense sunlight, she pushed the hair out of his eyes with one hand but it all just fell back down. His skin was slightly tanned from summer which, now that she was with him, she could admit she found rather sexy. He smiled down at her with that smile that she only realised he had not so long ago. Before she only knew the condescending smirk but now there was this new genuine smile which had the soft hazel eyes to match.

She moved onto her toes to kiss him, something she loved being able to do whenever she wanted. She moved back down onto her heels and he followed her down to keep on kissing. He, too, revelled in these moments. Since fifth year he had wondered and waited but even he recognised that he didn't deserve her then. Now it was a couple of days before seventh year and by some twist of fate here they were. He wrapped his arms around her waist again to draw her in as close as possible and she cupped his face with her small hands then ran them through his hair.

The breeze came again but this time brought the bark of a dog. Before she could look she felt it run between her and James, breaking them apart. The large fluffy black dog stopped a few metres away and sat in the long grass with only its head showing. Lily shook her head at the panting dog and turned to James who had a hand running through his hair and a half smile on his face.

"Padfoot," he said with a hint of warning in his voice as if scolding a real dog. The black dog jumped up with its tail wagging madly. James bent over, "Get on," he flicked his head towards his back and Lily had to think twice. She jumped up and James stood straight and made it so they were both comfortable. "We've got a dog to catch." He began running and Lily tightened her legs around his waist and her arms around his chest.

She could not wipe the ridiculous grin off her face. Being here, in the sun with the boys, experiencing all of this, she felt truly lucky. They ran for some time and even Lily was puffed out from bouncing up and down and trying to hold on. Soon Sirius stopped running and just walked next to James like a proper dog. They turned to walk towards the house with the sun disappearing into the mountains behind their backs. Lily was still on James' back and Sirius walked beside them as Padfoot with his tail wagging. Everything was perfect.

"I love this," Lily whispered into James' ear, he squeezed her legs and bowed his head. She could tell that he was grinning; she could even tell that Padfoot was smiling. All Lily could do was shut her eyes and rest her head on James' shoulder. She would never leave these two.

...

Now Lily sat at the desk assigned to her with clammy palms and a slight shake about her whole body. It wasn't cold but she felt a chill. The rain poured outside, drumming against the window panes. She stared down at the paper. It had the Hogwarts crest on it with the title of the examination, _Transfiguration_. She tried to breath in and out deeply to calm herself but her breathes were shaky. She was so tired. The past exams had left her brain dead. She would complete one and then feel it impossible to study for yet another. It was like a never ending haul. All she wanted was to sleep. Professor McGonagall walked tall towards the front of the Great Hall. Her emerald robes swept behind her with grace and Lily hoped she would be like that when she was old. She shook her head and tried to get back in the zone but everything was blank. She watched McGonagall her give her a small smile which only made things worse. People were expecting her to go well at this. There was this pressure that weighed on her and she wished more than anything right now that she was an average student. That way she wouldn't stand out but, no, as Head Girl she had to preform and then as a smart student they expected her to excel.

"You may start!" McGonagall turned a large hourglass at the front and sat down in a comfortable looking armchair. Lily nervously flicked over the front page and skimmed through the first few questions. Still, her mind was blank. They had said that if you just start writing, something, anything, it will all just come to you but she didn't even know what to start with. Swallowing painfully she wiped her hands on her skirt and turned the page to find a question on Animagus. She knew this; James had run through it with her a few nights ago. Actually, she could answer this very well. She looked up to where he was sitting to find that he was watching her. He winked and smiled at her and she nodded back with an even deep breath. James turned back to his work and Lily felt as if she had a cheat. Such a wave of confidence had run through her.

Her mind flashed to that day in summer in the field and a similar feeling to then overwhelmed her. It was as if she was feeling James running up behind her and catching her again. As if she was kissing him in the field again under the summer sun. As if Sirius ran between them again in his own Animagus form. She felt a million miles away from where she was now, in this cold hall with the rain outdoors.

Finally, she picked up her quill and began to write about the dangers of trying to become an Animagus. She supposed those people were right because once she did start writing everything else came naturally. The other answers seemed to be in the quill and were writing themselves. She hadn't even noticed that the rain stopped until McGonagall's voice broke the silence in the room.

"Time is up, students," she declared. "Please drop your quills at once!" Lily placed hers down and watched as her paper was magically whisked off her desk and filed into a neat pile next to the hourglass. "Congratulations, you may all leave."

Lily left the exam question paper on her desk she didn't want to see it again. This was their very last exam and she wanted no souvenir. She joined the throng leaving the Hall until she felt those arms wrap around her from behind again. He kissed her cheek, "It's all over," he whispered in her ear and she could detect the excitement in his voice. Sirius appeared next to her and ruffled her hair. Remus was beside him and was smiling broadly, happy to have the very last exam behind him. James moved to walk beside her and kept an arm around her shoulder, almost protectively, as they walked out into the sunshine. It blinded her after being in the dim hall. As the tiny coloured dots danced across her sight from looking straight into the sun, all she saw was that day again and she felt relief. Relief that this was all over, all behind her and she would never have to do it again. She supposed that you could only understand this once the exams were over, once you were on the other side of the line. Only then does everyone's advice make sense and only then do you believe in their advice. Soon she would be back in that field with James. Back to freedom, back to carefree and back to no worries.

* * *

><p>Thank you to everyone else for reading.<p> 


End file.
